U.S. patent number 10,334,355 [Application Number 15/514,815] was granted by the patent office on 2019-06-25 for multi-driver acoustic horn for horizontal beam control.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Apple Inc.. The grantee listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Suzanne Hardy, Martin E. Johnson, Tom-Davy William Jendrik Saux, John H. Sheerin, Christopher Wilk.
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United States Patent |
10,334,355 |
Johnson , et al. |
June 25, 2019 |
Multi-driver acoustic horn for horizontal beam control
Abstract
A loudspeaker array has a cabinet in which is formed a
continuously open circumferential horn for controlling sound
produced by a number of transducers which are positioned in the
cabinet, at a throat of the horn. The continuously open
circumferential horn may 1) improve the power efficiency of the
transducers without unwanted aliasing effects in audible frequency
ranges and 2) provide vertical control for sound emitted by the
transducers by flaring.
Inventors: |
Johnson; Martin E. (Los Gatos,
CA), Wilk; Christopher (Los Gatos, CA), Sheerin; John
H. (Santa Clara, CA), Hardy; Suzanne (San Jose, CA),
Saux; Tom-Davy William Jendrik (Santa Clara, CA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
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Assignee: |
Apple Inc. (Cupertino,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
54291704 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/514,815 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2015 |
PCT
Filed: |
September 29, 2015 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/US2015/053024 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
March 27, 2017 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2016/054099 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
April 07, 2016 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20170223447 A1 |
Aug 3, 2017 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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62057982 |
Sep 30, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04R
1/30 (20130101); H04R 1/326 (20130101); H04R
1/323 (20130101); H04R 1/403 (20130101); H04R
1/2807 (20130101); H04R 2201/401 (20130101); H04R
1/26 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04R
9/06 (20060101); H04R 1/30 (20060101); H04R
1/40 (20060101); H04R 1/28 (20060101); H04R
1/32 (20060101); H04R 1/26 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;381/332,334-336,340-342,182 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0252337 |
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Jan 1988 |
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EP |
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3130157 |
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Feb 2017 |
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EP |
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WO/94/19915 |
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Sep 1994 |
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WO |
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WO2007044223 |
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Apr 2007 |
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WO |
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WO2015157260 |
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Oct 2015 |
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WO |
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Other References
PCT International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT
International Appin No. PCT/US2015/053024 dated Dec. 10, 2015 (10
pages). cited by applicant .
PCT International Preliminary Report on Patentability for
PCT/US2015/053024, dated Apr. 13, 2017. cited by applicant .
Chinese Office Action dated Mar. 5, 2019 for related Chinese Appln.
No. 201580064345.6 15 Pages. cited by applicant .
European Office Action dated Mar. 29, 2019 for related European
Appln. No. 15778539.5 6 Pages. cited by applicant.
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Primary Examiner: Ni; Suhan
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Parent Case Text
This application is a U.S. National Phase Application under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 371 of International Application No.
PCT/US2015/053024, filed Sep. 29, 2015, which claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/057,982, filed Sep. 30,
2014, and this application hereby incorporates herein by reference
that provisional patent application.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A loudspeaker array, comprising: a plurality of first
transducers to emit sound into a listening area; one or more second
transducers to emit sound into the listening area; a cabinet to
house the plurality of first transducers and the one or more second
transducers, the cabinet forming a continuously open
circumferential horn including a throat and a mouth, wherein the
continuously open circumferential horn flares outward from the
throat to the mouth, wherein the plurality of first transducers are
coupled to the cabinet in a ring formation around the throat of the
continuously open circumferential horn, and wherein the one or more
second transducers are integrated within the cabinet and outside
the continuously open circumferential horn; a first set of filters
to restrict sound emitted by the plurality of first transducers to
a first predefined range of frequencies; and a second set of
filters to restrict sound emitted by the one or more second
transducers to a second predefined range of frequencies, wherein
the first predefined range of frequencies is higher than the second
predefined range of frequencies.
2. The loudspeaker array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first
transducers are arranged around the throat of the horn such that a
distance between each of the plurality of first transducers is less
than a wavelength of the sound at a highest frequency in the first
predefined range of frequencies.
3. The loudspeaker array of claim 1, wherein the cabinet is formed
of an upper section and a lower section that are coupled together,
wherein the upper section and the lower section separately taper
inwards such that the cabinet forms an hourglass shape.
4. The loudspeaker array of claim 3, wherein a narrow section or
waist of the hourglass shape of the cabinet defines the throat of
the continuously open circumferential horn.
5. The loudspeaker array of claim 3, wherein an acute angle of a
first taper of the upper section, relative to a plane in which the
plurality of first transducers lie, is different from an acute
angle of a second taper of the lower section, relative to the plane
in which the plurality of first transducers lie.
6. The loudspeaker array of claim 3, wherein a first angle of a
first taper of the upper section, relative to a plane in which the
plurality of first transducers lie, controls, and a second angle of
taper of the lower section, relative to a plane in which the
plurality of first transducers lie, controls a spread of sound
produced by the plurality of first transducers in a vertical
direction.
7. The loudspeaker array of claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes
an upper corner and a lower corner at the mouth, and wherein the
corners are curved.
8. The loudspeaker array of claim 1, further comprising: a
plurality of dividers, wherein each divider is located between an
adjacent pair of transducers in the plurality of first transducers,
wherein each of the dividers extends outward from the throat of the
continuously open circumferential horn.
9. The loudspeaker array of claim 1, wherein the one or more second
transducers is a plurality of second transducers.
10. The loudspeaker array of claim 1, wherein the ring formation of
the plurality of first transducers forms a horizontal plane that is
perpendicular to an upright stance of the cabinet.
11. The loudspeaker array of claim 10, further comprising: a
beamforming processor to control relative phases and gains of
signals used to drive the plurality of first transducers such that
the plurality of first transducers generate an acoustic beam
pattern along the horizontal plane.
12. A loudspeaker array, comprising: a plurality of first
transducers to emit sound into a listening area; one or more second
transducers to emit sound into the listening area; a continuously
open circumferential horn including a throat and a mouth, wherein
the horn flares outward from the throat to the mouth along an upper
wall and a lower wall, wherein the plurality of first transducers
are coupled to the continuously open circumferential horn in a ring
formation around the throat and emit sound toward the mouth,
wherein the continuously open circumferential horn reduces a
distance at which sound produced by an adjacent pair of transducers
in the plurality of first transducers is mixed by providing a
uniformly open and unrestricted circumferential cavity for the
plurality of first transducers to emit sound into, and wherein the
one or more second transducers are above the continuously open
circumferential horn; a first set of filters to restrict sound
emitted by the plurality of first transducers to a first predefined
range of frequencies; and a second set of filters to restrict sound
emitted by the one or more second transducers to a second
predefined range of frequencies, wherein the first predefined range
of frequencies is different than the second predefined range of
frequencies.
13. The loudspeaker array of claim 12, wherein the continuously
open circumferential horn is defined by a hyperboloid shape of a
speaker cabinet that includes an upper section, a middle section,
and a lower section, and wherein the middle section is narrower
than the upper section and the lower section.
14. The loudspeaker array of claim 13, wherein the upper section
tapers inwards to meet the middle section, and the lower section
tapers inwards to meet the middle section.
15. The loudspeaker array of claim 14, wherein the middle section
of the hyperboloid shape defines the throat of the continuously
open circumferential horn.
16. The loudspeaker array of claim 12, wherein the plurality of
first transducers are arranged around the throat of the horn such
that a distance between each of the plurality of first transducers
is less than a wavelength of the sound at a highest frequency in
the first predefined range of frequencies.
17. The loudspeaker array of claim 12, wherein the upper wall
includes a first rounded corner proximate to the mouth and opposite
the throat of the horn, wherein the first rounded corner of the
upper wall is curved upward and away from the throat, wherein the
lower wall includes a second rounded corner proximate to the mouth
and opposite the throat of the horn, and wherein the second rounded
corner of the lower wall is curved downward and away from the
throat.
18. The loudspeaker array of claim 12, wherein the ring formation
of the plurality of first transducers forms a horizontal plane that
is perpendicular to an upright stance of a cabinet.
19. The loudspeaker array of claim 18, further comprising: a
beamformer processor to control relative phases and gains of
signals used to drive the plurality of first transducers such that
the plurality of first transducers generate an acoustic beam
pattern along the horizontal plane.
Description
FIELD
A loudspeaker array is disclosed with a continuously open
circumferential horn that provides improved gain, directional sound
control, and reduced spurious beams or side-lobes (that are
typically generated above an aliasing frequency such that the
generated beam is no longer well controlled.) Other embodiments are
also described.
BACKGROUND
Loudspeaker arrays are often used by computers and home electronics
for outputting sound into a listening area. Each loudspeaker array
may be composed of multiple transducers that are arranged on a
single plane or surface of an associated cabinet or casing.
Acoustic horns may be used along with transducers to increase the
efficiency by which these transducers output sound. In particular,
horns may provide (1) extra acoustic gain in one or more frequency
bands and (2) directivity control.
Although horns may provide some efficiency improvements, horns may
also lead to aliasing issues between transducers. In particular,
horns may increase the distance between the points where sound from
adjacent transducers in a loudspeaker array is mixed. This distance
defines the aliasing frequency above which sound may become
distorted based on sound mixing between proximate transducers.
Further, traditional horn designs suffer from sharp cutoff
frequencies caused by the shape and dimensions of the horn.
Accordingly, sound produced by a transducer below this frequency is
cut off or inconsistently modified in comparison to higher
frequency content.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could
be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been
previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise
indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches
described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of
their inclusion in this section.
SUMMARY
An audio system operating within a listening area is described
herein. The audio system may include an audio receiver and a
loudspeaker array. The audio receiver may be coupled to the
loudspeaker array to drive individual transducers in the
loudspeaker array to emit various sound beam or radiation patterns
into the listening area for a listener. In one embodiment, the
loudspeaker array may include a continuously open circumferential
horn for controlling sound produced by the transducers. In this
embodiment, one or more transducers may be coupled proximate to a
throat of the horn. The continuously open circumferential horn may
1) improve the power efficiency of the transducers without unwanted
aliasing effects in audible frequency ranges and/or 2) provide
vertical control for sound emitted by the transducers.
In particular, by providing an unobstructed and open cavity for
sound emitted by the transducers to mix, the continuously open
circumferential horn may decrease a mixing distance between
adjacent transducers (e.g., transducers that are directly adjacent
in the ring of transducers) such that a corresponding aliasing
frequency is increased. This aliasing frequency describes the
highest frequency that may be emitted by the transducers without
generation or production of aliasing effects caused by mixing of
sound between transducers. Accordingly, by decreasing the mixing
distance, the continuously open circumferential horn increases the
maximum frequency that may be produced by the transducers without
unwanted effects.
Further, the continuously open circumferential horn may provide
improved directional control for sound produced by the transducers,
including both horizontal and vertical control. For example, the
outer corners of the continuously open circumferential horn may be
curved. These curved corners more uniformly improve gain across
frequency ranges in comparison to horns that are abruptly cutoff at
the mouth of the horn.
The above summary does not include an exhaustive list of all
aspects of the present invention. It is contemplated that the
invention includes all systems and methods that can be practiced
from all suitable combinations of the various aspects summarized
above, as well as those disclosed in the Detailed Description below
and particularly pointed out in the claims filed with the
application. Such combinations have particular advantages not
specifically recited in the above summary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example
and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying
drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It
should be noted that references to "an" or "one" embodiment of the
invention in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same
embodiment, and they mean at least one. Also, in the interest of
conciseness and reducing the total number of figures, a given
figure may be used to illustrate the features of more than one
embodiment of the invention, and not all elements in the figure may
be required for a given embodiment.
FIG. 1 shows a view of a listening area with an audio receiver, a
loudspeaker array, and a listener according to one embodiment.
FIG. 2 shows a component diagram of the audio receiver according to
one embodiment.
FIG. 3A shows a component diagram of the loudspeaker array
according to one embodiment.
FIG. 3B shows a view of a loudspeaker array with a continuously
open circumferential horn according to one embodiment.
FIG. 4A shows a set of example directivity/radiation patterns that
may be produced by the loudspeaker array according to one
embodiment.
FIG. 4B shows a top view of a loudspeaker array emitting a forward
facing cardioid radiation pattern in a horizontal plane using a set
of transducers according to one embodiment.
FIG. 5A shows a horn coupled to a transducer according to one
embodiment.
FIG. 5B shows a set of horns coupled to a set of transducers
according to one embodiment.
FIG. 6 shows the mixing distance for a set of transducers when
using the continuously open circumferential horn according to one
embodiment.
FIG. 7 shows a set of transducers stored within an upper section of
the loudspeaker array and directing sound through the continuously
open circumferential horn according to one embodiment.
FIG. 8 shows a set of transducers stored within an upper section
and a lower section of the loudspeaker array and directing sound
through the continuously open circumferential horn according to one
embodiment.
FIG. 9 shows a view of a loudspeaker array with a continuously open
circumferential horn according to one embodiment.
FIG. 10 shows a view of a loudspeaker array with differently angled
inner walls for a continuously open circumferential horn according
to one embodiment.
FIG. 11 shows a loudspeaker array with different types of
transducers according to one embodiment.
FIG. 12 shows an overhead view of a loudspeaker array with a set of
dividers according to one embodiment.
FIG. 13 shows a set of example sound velocity profiles for a set of
loudspeaker arrays according to one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Several embodiments are described with reference to the appended
drawings are now explained. While numerous details are set forth,
it is understood that some embodiments of the invention may be
practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known
circuits, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail
so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.
FIG. 1 shows a view of an audio system 100 operating within a
listening area 101 according to one embodiment. The audio system
100 may include an audio receiver 103 and a loudspeaker array 105.
The audio receiver 103 may be coupled to the loudspeaker array 105
to drive individual transducers 109 in the loudspeaker array 105 to
emit various sound beam/radiation patterns into the listening area
101 for a listener 107. In one embodiment, the loudspeaker array
105 may include a continuously open circumferential horn 113 for
controlling sound produced by the transducers 109. In this
embodiment, one or more transducers 109 may be coupled proximate to
a throat 115 of the horn 113. As will be described in greater
detail below, the continuously open circumferential horn 113 may 1)
improve the power efficiency of the transducers 109 without
unwanted aliasing effects in audible frequency ranges and/or 2)
provide vertical control for sound emitted by the transducers
109.
In some embodiments, the transducers 109 of the array 105 may be
configured to generate beam patterns. The beam patterns may
represent individual channels of a piece of sound program content.
For example, the loudspeaker array 105 may generate beam patterns
that represent front left, front right, and front center channels
for a piece of sound program content (e.g., a musical composition
or an audio track for a movie).
Each element of the audio system 100 shown in FIG. 1 will be
described below by way of example. In other embodiments, the audio
system 100 may include additional components than those described
below and shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows a component diagram of the audio receiver 103
according to one embodiment. The audio receiver 103 may be any
electronic device that is capable of driving one or more
transducers 109 in the loudspeaker array 105. For example, the
audio receiver 103 may be a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a
tablet computer, a home theater receiver, a set-top box, and/or a
mobile device (e.g., a smartphone). The audio receiver 103 may
include a hardware processor 201 and a memory unit 203.
The processor 201 and the memory unit 203 are used here to refer to
any suitable combination of programmable data processing components
and data storage that conduct the operations needed to implement
the various functions and operations of the audio receiver 103. The
processor 201 may be an applications processor typically found in a
smart phone, while the memory unit 203 may refer to
microelectronic, non-volatile random access memory. An operating
system may be stored in the memory unit 203 along with application
programs specific to the various functions of the audio receiver
103, which are to be run or executed by the processor 201 to
perform the various functions of the audio receiver 103.
The audio receiver 103 may include one or more audio inputs 205 for
receiving audio signals from an external device, e.g., a remote
device. For example, the audio receiver 103 may receive audio
signals from a remote server of a streaming media service. The
audio signals may represent one or more channels of a piece of
sound program content (e.g., a musical composition or an audio
track for a movie). For example, a single signal corresponding to a
single channel of a piece of multichannel sound program content may
be received by an input 205 of the audio receiver 103. In another
example, a single signal may correspond to multiple channels of a
piece of sound program content, which are multiplexed onto the
single signal. The processor 201 of the audio receiver 103 may
receive as inputs multiple audio channel signals simultaneously,
and processes these to produce multiple acoustic transducer drive
signals (to render the audio content in the input signals as
sound), e.g., as a beamforming process to control relative phases
and gains for each of the signals used to drive the transducers
such that the transducers generate an acoustic beam pattern along
the horizontal plane.
In one embodiment, the audio receiver 103 may include a digital
audio input 205A that receives digital audio signals from an
external device and/or a remote device. For example, the audio
input 205A may be a TOSLINK connector or a digital wireless
interface (e.g., a wireless local area network (WLAN) adapter or a
Bluetooth adapter). In one embodiment, the audio receiver 103 may
include an analog audio input 205B that receives analog audio
signals from an external device. For example, the audio input 205B
may be a binding post, a Fahnestock clip, or a phono plug that is
designed to receive a wire or conduit and a corresponding analog
signal. In another embodiment, the processor 201 may obtain its
input audio channel signals by decoding an encoded audio file,
e.g., an MPEG file.
In one embodiment, the audio receiver 103 may include an interface
207 for communicating with the loudspeaker array 105. The interface
207 may utilize wired mediums (e.g., conduit or wire) to
communicate with the loudspeaker array 105, as shown in FIG. 1. In
another embodiment, the interface 207 may communicate with the
loudspeaker array 105 through a wireless connection. For example,
the network interface 207 may utilize one or more wireless
protocols and standards for communicating with the loudspeaker
array 105, including the IEEE 802.11 suite of standards, IEEE
802.3, cellular Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
standards, cellular Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) standards,
Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards, and/or Bluetooth
standards.
FIG. 3A shows a component diagram for the loudspeaker array 105
according to one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3A, the loudspeaker
array 105 may include an interface 301 for receiving drive signals
from the audio receiver 103. The drive signals may be used for
driving each of the transducers 109 in the loudspeaker array 105.
As with the interface 207, the interface 301 may utilize wired
protocols and standards and/or one or more wireless protocols and
standards, including the IEEE 802.11 suite of standards, IEEE
802.3, cellular Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
standards, cellular Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) standards,
Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards, and/or Bluetooth standards. In
some embodiment, the loudspeaker array 105 may include power
amplifiers 307 for amplifying the drive signals sent to each of the
transducers 109 in the loudspeaker array 105, as well as digital to
analog converters (DACs) 303 for converting the drive signals from
digital domain into analog domain, both of which may be integrated
into the speaker cabinet 111. Although described and shown as being
separate from the audio receiver 103, in some embodiments, one or
more components of the audio receiver 103 may be integrated within
a housing of the loudspeaker array 105. For example, the
loudspeaker array 105 may include the hardware processor 201, the
memory unit 203, and the one or more audio inputs 205.
FIG. 3B shows a side view of a loudspeaker array 105 according to
one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3B, the loudspeaker array 105
houses multiple transducers 109 in a cabinet 111. The cabinet 111
may be a loudspeaker cabinet or loudspeaker enclosure composed of
two frusto conical sections 117A and 117B rotated in relation to
each other by 180.degree., and joined to each other at their
respective smaller base regions, to form a waist region in which
the transducers 109 are positioned. An interior volume of the
cabinet 111 may be used to house associated electronic hardware
such as amplifiers and crossover circuits that are mounted inside
the cabinet 111, but its primary role may be to prevent sound waves
generated by rearward facing surfaces of diaphragms of the
transducers 109 (not visible in FIG. 3B), interacting with sound
waves generated off the front facing surfaces of the diaphragms of
the transducers 109 (which are visible as illustrated in FIG. 3B)
and emanating sideways and outward from the frusto conical sections
117A, 117B. As will be described in greater detail below, these
frusto conical sections 117A and 117B (as joined) form a
continuously open circumferential horn 113 at the waist region,
which may be used for improving performance of integrated
transducers 109 or for providing vertical sound control for the
loudspeaker array 105. One or both of the larger base regions of
the frusto conical sections 117A, 117B may be joined to a
respective outer wall, depicted as outer walls 127A, 127B in FIG. 9
below.
Although described in relation to frusto conical sections 117A and
117B, in other embodiments, the cabinet 111 may be composed of any
shapes or sections that provide a narrow inner circumference (or
waist), to define a throat 115 of the continuously open
circumferential horn 113, and a flared or wider outer section that
defines a mouth 119 of the horn 113. For example, in other
embodiments the cabinet 111 may be composed of one or more
frustums, cones, pyramids, triangular prisms, spheres, or any other
similar shape.
In some embodiments, the cabinet 111 may be defined by a
hyperboloid shape that is similar to the cabinet 111 formed by the
frusto conical sections 117A and 117B described above. In this
embodiment, the cabinet 111 may include upper and lower sections
that are wider than a middle or waist section. The upper and lower
sections may taper inwards to meet the narrower middle section to
form the throat 115 of the continuously open circumferential horn
113. In each of these embodiments, a horizontal cross-section of
the cabinet 111, which lies in a horizontal plane that is
perpendicular to the page showing FIG. 3B and that is positioned to
cut through the middle section, may be circular such that the
continuously open circumferential horn 113 uniformly extends around
the entire perimeter of the cabinet 111.
In some embodiments, the cabinet 111 may be at least partially
hollow and may allow for the mounting of transducers 109 on an
inside surface of the cabinet 111 with sound output holes formed in
a cylindrical wall of the waist section, each of the output holes
being aligned with the diaphragm of a respective one of the
transducers, or on an outside surface of the cabinet 111 (e.g.,
where each transducer is mounted such that its diaphragm is
positioned outside or spaced outward of the cylindrical surface of
the waist section). The cabinet 111 may be made of any material,
including metals, metal alloys, plastic polymers, or some
combination thereof.
As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B and described above, the
loudspeaker array 105 may include a set of transducers 109. The
transducers 109 may be any combination of full-range drivers,
mid-range drivers, subwoofers, woofers, and tweeters, although in
one embodiment they may all be replicates of each other. Each of
the transducers 109 may use a lightweight diaphragm, or cone,
connected to a rigid basket, or frame, via a flexible suspension
that constrains a coil of wire (e.g., a voice coil) to move axially
through a cylindrical magnetic gap. When an electrical audio signal
is applied to the voice coil, a magnetic field is created by the
electric current in the voice coil, making it a variable
electromagnet. The coil and the transducers' 109 magnetic system
interact, generating a mechanical force that causes the coil (and
thus, the attached cone) to move back and forth, thereby
reproducing sound under the control of the applied electrical audio
signal coming from an audio source, such as the audio receiver 103.
Although electromagnetic dynamic loudspeaker drivers are described
for use as the transducers 109, those skilled in the art will
recognize that other types of loudspeaker drivers, such as
piezoelectric, planar electromagnetic and electrostatic drivers are
possible. As shown in FIG. 3B and FIG. 4B, in one embodiment, the
rear face of the diaphragm of each transducer 109 faces inward
(into the ring formed by the entire group of transducers 9) while
the front face is facing outward.
Referring back to FIG. 3A, each transducer 109 may be individually
and separately driven using the power amplifiers 307 to produce
sound in response to separate and discrete audio drive signals
received from an audio source (e.g., the audio receiver 103--see
FIG. 1). By allowing the transducers 109 in the loudspeaker array
105 to be individually and separately driven according to different
parameters and settings (including delays and voltage levels), the
loudspeaker array 105 may produce numerous directivity or beam
radiation patterns that accurately represent each channel of a
piece of sound program content received from the audio receiver
103. In some embodiments, digital filtering techniques may be used
that impart variable gains and phases (relative to each other) upon
the individual drive signals for the transducers 109, in the
digital domain, e.g., by the processor 201 which may be part of the
audio receiver 103 (see FIG. 2). A beamforming process may be
performed upon a give set of two or more input audio channels,
e.g., by the processor 201, to produce a number of desired acoustic
output patterns, which are rendered by transferring the individual
transducer drive signals (in digital form) to the DACs 303 via the
interface 301.
For example, in one embodiment, the loudspeaker array 105 may
produce one or more of the directivity or radiation patterns shown
in FIG. 4A along a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to the
upright stance of the cabinet 111 as seen in the earlier figures
(or that is perpendicular to the central upright axis 102). In FIG.
4A, an omnidirectional pattern is shown on the right (having a low
directivity index, DI), a hypercardiod pattern is shown on the
right (having a high DI), while a cardiod pattern is shown in the
middle. FIG. 4B shows a top view of a loudspeaker array 105
emitting a forward (or right) facing cardioid radiation pattern in
a horizontal plane using a set of transducers 109 according to one
embodiment. Simultaneous directivity patterns produced by the
loudspeaker array 105 may not only differ in shape, but may also
differ in the direction of their respective reference axes. For
instance, different directivity patterns may be "pointed" in
different directions in the listening area 101 to represent
separate channels or separate pieces of sound program content for
separate zones or separate listeners 107.
Power or gain performance from the transducers 109 may be lacking,
if the transducers 109 have to be made smaller in order to fit into
a smaller cabinet 111. To improve the performance of the
transducers 109, a horn may be used at the primary sound output
opening of each transducer 109 (or selected ones of the transducers
109). In particular, an acoustic horn may be used to 1) increase
the efficiency of a transducer 109 (e.g., add acoustic gain for
sound output by a transducer 109) and/or 2) to control the
direction in which the sound is radiated into the listening area
101.
For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, a single transducer 109 is
connected to the throat 403 of a horn 401, and the cross sectional
area of the horn 401 increases with distance from the throat 403 to
the mouth 405 of the horn 401. The change in cross section with
distance and the detailed shape of the horn 401 may be chosen to
add a specified level of gain to sound emitted by the transducer
109 for a specified frequency range of operation. In this sense,
the horn 401 may be considered an acoustic transformer that
provides impedance matching between the diaphragm material of the
transducer 109 and the less-dense air surrounding the loudspeaker
array 105. The result is greater acoustic output power from
transducer 109. The shape of the horn 401 may also be designed to
give different passive directivity properties.
Historically, horns were very useful in increasing acoustic gain
when amplifiers were not yet available. Although amplifiers are now
readily available, horns may continue to be useful as they still
improve the gain performance of transducers 109 in particular
frequency ranges and may provide passive directional control.
Accordingly, horns may allow the use of smaller transducers 109 in
mobile or other compact devices where amplifiers may not be
suitable options (e.g., size or thermal considerations).
In some embodiments, the horn 401 shown in FIG. 5A may be used with
multiple transducers 109 arranged alongside each other. For
example, as shown in FIG. 5B, multiple horns 401 may be used with
multiple transducers 109, respectively, that are positioned side by
side in a ring or circular formation. In this embodiment, sound
from each transducer 109 travels through a corresponding throat 403
of its horn 401, and mixes with sound from adjacent transducers 109
upon exiting at the mouth 405 of its horn 401. Accordingly, the
horn 401 in this arrangement provides a sound barrier between
adjacent transducers 109, where this barrier extends from the
throat 403, which is proximate and coupled to the transducer 109,
to the mouth 405 such that sound from adjacent transducers 109 is
not permitted to mix until after escaping the horn 401.
The distance D shown in FIG. 5B represents the separation between
points where sounds from adjacent transducers 109 are allowed to
mix together (i.e., the point in this case where sounds leave
respective horns 401). The horns 401 shown in FIG. 5B draw sound
outward and away from the transducers 109 (using a set of barriers
or walls that define the shape of the horns 401) before a sound can
be mixed with sound from other transducers 109, and this may
dictate the distance D. In particular, since the horn 401 flares
outward, as the design of the horn 401 increases in length (e.g.,
calculated from the throat 403 to the mouth 405), the horns 401 and
their corresponding transducers 109 may need to be more greatly
separated from each other. This increased distance or spacing
between the transducers 109 results in a similar increase to the
mixing distance D between adjacent horns 401. For simplicity and
consistency, this distance D may be measured (for each adjacent
pair of horns 401) along any suitable, mathematically defined curve
that connects the centers of the mouths 405 of adjacent horns 401.
Similarly, for the embodiment of FIG. 6, the mixing distance D may
be measured along a suitable, mathematically defined curve (in
front of the transducers 109) that connects the centers of the
diaphragms of adjacent transducers 109.
In some cases, mixing of sounds produced by transducers 109 may
cause aliasing issues. Aliasing may be restricted to particular
frequency bands based on the distance D. For example, aliasing may
occur when a wavelength of sound produce by the transducers 109 is
smaller than the mixing distance D. In other words, the sound
produced by adjacent transducers 109 (and as heard by the listener
107) may exhibit aliasing at wavelengths that are smaller than a
threshold wavelength (or equivalently at frequencies that are
higher than a threshold frequency.) Since higher frequency sounds
have shorter wavelengths in comparison to lower frequency sounds,
as the distance D increases the frequencies of sound that may be
produced by the transducers 109 without aliasing effects decreases
(e.g., an inverse relationship between the mixing distance D and
the aliasing frequency). In other words, the "aliasing frequency"
(the frequency above which there is substantial aliasing in the
sound that may be heard at a position of the listener 107) drops,
as the mixing distance D increases. Accordingly, to ensure that
sounds may be produced at higher frequencies by the loudspeaker
array 105 without the occurrence of aliasing effects, the mixing
distance D should be decreased.
In one embodiment, the loudspeaker array 105 described herein
reduces the distance D by providing a continuously open
circumferential horn 113. As described above and shown in FIG. 3B,
the continuously open circumferential horn 113 may include a throat
115, a mouth 119, and a set of inner walls 123a, 123b. The throat
115 is defined by the narrowest end of the horn 113 and is
proximate or coupled to the ring of transducers 109. In contrast,
the mouth 119 is formed at the opposite end of the horn 113 and is
defined by the widest end of the horn 113. The inner walls 123a,
123b mark the upper and lower halves, or upper and lower bounds,
respectively, of the horn 113 and may provide a tapered or angled
connection between the throat 115 and the mouth 119 such that the
horn 113 flares outwards (i.e., increases in diameter moving from
the throat 115 to the mouth 119).
The combined throat 115, mouth 119, and inner walls 123 may extend
the entire circumference or perimeter of the cabinet 111 (e.g.,
360.degree. around a center upright axis 102 of the cabinet 111)
such that the horn 113 is circumferentially open and no barriers
are present between transducers 109. In comparison to the
arrangement in FIG. 5B in which each individual horn 401 creates a
sound barrier for each corresponding transducer 109, the
continuously open circumferential horn 113 depicted in FIG. 3B may
allow the placement of multiple transducers 109 side by side at the
throat 115, without barriers between each transducer 109. Although
the inner walls 123 form upper and lower barriers for sound
produced by the transducers 109, these inner walls 123 do not
restrict mixing of sound between transducers 109. For example, FIG.
6 shows a top view of an arrangement of as in FIG. 3B, in which the
transducers 109 are side by side around the throat 115 of the
continuously open circumferential horn 113. Since in this
embodiment no barriers are present between each adjacent pair of
the transducers 109, sound from each of the transducers 109 may be
mixed together soon after being produced or emitted by the
transducers 109 (e.g., they are mixed in the throat 115 of the horn
113). In particular, the mixing distance D at which sound from
adjacent transducers 109 is mixed may be reduced in comparison to
the distance D shown in FIG. 5B.
Based on this reduced mixing distance D between sounds from
adjacent transducers 109 entering into the same environment (e.g.,
see FIG. 1, the throat 115 of the horn 113) and being allowed to
mix together, the aliasing frequency may be increased when using
the continuously open circumferential horn 113. As noted above, the
aliasing frequency is the frequency at which higher frequency
sounds may cause undesirable aliasing effects, based on the mixing
distance D. Accordingly, since the continuously open
circumferential horn 113 provides a higher aliasing frequency based
on the reduced mixing distance D in comparison to the closed or
segmented horns 401 shown in FIG. 5B, the transducers 109 in FIG.
3B and FIG. 6 may be driven with higher frequency sounds without
the presence of aliasing effects. Further, the continuously open
circumferential horn 113 may still provide efficiency improvements
(i.e., improved gain performance) and vertical sound control
similar to traditional horn designs.
In one embodiment, the continuously open circumferential horn 113
may be formed using components of the cabinet 111. For example, as
described above, the cabinet 111 may be formed of the two frusto
conical sections 117A and 117B, which are joined together as shown
in FIG. 3B. In particular, one of the two frusto conical sections
117A and 117B may be rotated 180.degree. in relation to the other
and then joined to form a generally hourglass or hyperboloid shape
for the cabinet 111. The bottom of the lower section 117B may be
flat so as to enable the cabinet 111 to stably rest on a flat
surface such as a tabletop as shown in the example of FIG. 1, or on
a floor. This generally hourglass or hyperboloid shape has a narrow
or tapered section that defines the throat 115 of the horn 113 and
a wide or flared section that defines the mouth 119 of the horn
113. Although described as being formed of separate sections 117A
and 117B that are joined or otherwise coupled together, the cabinet
111 may be made in different ways such as two or more vertically or
horizontally continuous pieces that are joined together. The
continuously open circumferential horn 113 may have a curved
surface at the corners 125A, 125B of its mouth 119 so that the
cabinet 111 has a true hyperboloid shape, as depicted in FIG. 9,
for example.
In one embodiment, the ring of transducers 109 may be located
around the throat 115 of the continuously open circumferential horn
113. As shown in FIG. 3B and FIG. 6, the transducers 109 may be
aligned in a horizontal plane, around the throat 115, such that
each of the transducers 109 is vertically equidistant from the
larger base of the upper section 117A and is vertically equidistant
from the larger base of the lower section 117B of the cabinet
111.
Although as shown in FIG. 3B and FIG. 6 and described above the
transducers 109 are arranged uniformly at the throat 115 of the
horn 113 with their diaphragms oriented substantially vertically,
in other embodiments the transducers 109 may be differently
arranged around or about the throat 115 of the horn 113. For
example, since the throat 115 of the continuously open
circumferential horn 113 is formed at a narrowest or waist section
of the cabinet 111, arranging all of the transducers 109 along this
section, with their diaphragms in a vertical orientation, may be
difficult. Namely, the constricted space provided by the throat 115
may not allow the use of large, more powerful transducers 109
(unless the diameter of the throat is made larger, and the top and
bottom sections 117a, 117b of the cabinet are also made larger.)
The limited space may also result in heat issues caused by poor
thermal dissipation in a confined area with a high density of
transducers 109. To alleviate these space constraints, some or all
of the transducers 109 (that together may form a ring) may instead
be located within a hollow portion of the upper section 117A, which
is above the throat 115 (and below a top of the upper section 117a)
as shown in FIG. 7. Since the horn 113 tapers such that the throat
115 is the narrowest element of the cabinet 111 (from a side view,
as in FIG. 7), any portion of the progressive widening upper
section 117A above the throat 115 may afford more space for the
placement or mounting of the transducers 109, and in particular
their motors which are directly behind, and attached to drive,
their respective diaphragms, in comparison to mounting of the
transducers 109 at the throat 115, e.g., all oriented vertically as
shown in FIG. 3b and FIG. 4b. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, sound
produced by the transducers 109 may be directed to flow into the
continuously open circumferential horn 113 through the slots 701.
The slot 701 may be a passageway that extends into the cabinet 111,
from the outer surface of a side wall of the upper section 117A,
and that acoustically joins the front surface of the diaphragm of
each respective transducer 109 to the throat 115 (of the
continuously open circumferential horn 113.) In some embodiments,
one or more of the slots 701 may include one or more bends or
curves. The bends or curves allow the transducers 109 to be placed
or mounted in different positions and orientations within the
cabinet 111 while still allowing for sound produced by each
transducer 109 to reach the throat 115 of the continuously open
circumferential horn 113. In the version shown in FIG. 7, the slots
701 are such that they enable their respective transducers 109 to
be oriented so that their diaphragms are substantially horizontal
(instead of vertical as in FIGS. 3b, 4b), thereby allowing more
space for their respective motors within the upper section 117a.
Since the slots 701 deliver sound produced by corresponding
transducers 109 at the same point around the throat 115 as when the
transducers 109 are mounted at the throat 115 as shown in FIG. 3B,
the mixing distance D between adjacent transducers 109 may remain
the same or nearly identical. Given that the mixing distance D
remains small (in comparison to the horns 401 shown in FIG. 5A and
FIG. 5B), the aliasing frequency for the loudspeaker array 105
shown in FIG. 7 may remain high as described above, such that high
frequency sounds may be emitted by the transducers 109 without the
presence or occurrence of aliasing effects.
Although as described above and shown in FIG. 7 all of the
transducers 109 are housed entirely within the upper section 117A,
in another embodiment all of the transducers 109 (together still
forming a ring) may be similarly placed or mounted entirely within
the lower section 117B. In some other embodiments, the transducers
109 may be alternately placed within (alternating between) the top
and lower sections 117A and 117B as shown in FIG. 8. In this
embodiment, within each top or bottom section 117a, 117b, there is
even more space between adjacent ones of the transducers 109 that
are within the same section 117a, 117b of the cabinet 111 for
mounting, since the transducers 109 are alternately placed above
and below the throat 115. Similar to the loudspeaker array 105
shown in FIG. 7, the loudspeaker array 105 shown in FIG. 8 may
utilize slots 701 to direct sound from the transducers 109 to the
throat 115 of the continuously open circumferential horn 113.
As described above, the continuously open circumferential horn 113
reduces aliasing effects between adjacent transducers 109 in the
loudspeaker array 105. In particular, the mixing distance D between
adjacent transducers 109 (e.g., transducers 109 that are directly
adjacent in the ring of transducers 109) may be decreased such that
a corresponding aliasing frequency is increased. This aliasing
frequency describes the highest frequency that may be emitted by
the transducers 109 without generation or production of aliasing
effects caused by mixing of sound between transducers 109.
Accordingly, by decreasing the mixing distance D, the continuously
open circumferential horn 113 increases the range of frequencies
that may be produced by the transducers 109 without unwanted
effects.
As shown in FIG. 3B and FIG. 4B and described above, the
loudspeaker array 105 may include a single ring of transducers 109
that are positioned side by side as shown. In one embodiment, each
of the transducers 109 in the ring of transducers 109 may be of the
same type or model, e.g., replicates. The ring of transducers 109
may be aligned along or in a horizontal plane such that each of the
transducers 109 is vertically equidistant from a planar, larger
base of the top frusto conical section 117A and is vertically
equidistant from a planar, larger base of the bottom frusto conical
section 117B of the cabinet 111. Further, this horizontal plane may
be perpendicular to the upright stance of the cabinet 111 (as it is
shown in the figures). Although a single ring of transducers 109
aligned along a horizontal plane may provide dynamic horizontal
beam control through adjustment of relative gains and phases of
drive signals applied to each transducer 109, vertical control of
sound emitted by the loudspeaker array 105 may be limited. In
particular, by lacking multiple stacked rings of transducers 109,
dynamic directional control of sound may be limited to this
horizontal plane.
Since dynamic vertical control of sound produced by the single ring
of transducers 109 may not be possible, more passive solutions may
be used. For example, the continuously open circumferential horn
113 may be used to assist in controlling the vertical spread of
sound from the ring of transducers 109 into the listening area 101.
As shown in FIG. 9, the continuously open circumferential horn 113
may be flared to control the direction of sound along a vertical
axis. The horn 113 may be adjusted during manufacture to
accommodate for different performance requirements of the
loudspeaker array 105. For example, the angle of the upper and
lower inner walls 123a, 123b (relative to the horizontal plane) and
the corresponding size of the mouth 119 may be adjusted to create a
larger or smaller vertical spread of sound into the listening area
101 (see FIG. 1.) In other embodiments, the corners 125a, 125b that
connect the inner walls 123a, 123b to the outer walls 127a, 127b,
respectively, and which define the entrance of the mouth 119, may
be curved or rounded as shown in FIG. 9. This curvature may provide
a more consistent frequency response in comparison to a sharp or
abrupt corner 125 such as depicted in FIG. 3B.
Although the design of the horn 113 in FIG. 3B may reduce aliasing
effects as described above, its sharp corners 125 may apply an
inconsistent improvement or increase in gain across all
frequencies. Instead, the sharp corners 125 may lead to peak
improvements in gain across some frequencies while providing less
or no increases in gain in other frequency ranges (e.g.,
particularly with low frequency content). This inconsistent
response across frequencies may create undesirable changes to sound
produced by the loudspeaker array 105. In contrast, the curved
corners 125 of the horn 113 shown in FIG. 9 may provide a more
desirable horn design that is less likely to have reduced gain at
low frequencies. In particular, in the horn 113 of FIG. 9 the
sidewall 123a may gradually flare off at the corner 125a and join
the vertically oriented outer wall 127; similarly, the sidewall
123b flares off at the corner 125b and joins the vertically
oriented outer wall 127b. A more consistent frequency response for
sound produced by the transducers 109 using these curved corners
125 may be expected.
Although shown in FIG. 9 as being identical, the angle and shape of
the inner wall 123a (along or defined by the upper section 117A)
may, alternatively, be different in comparison to the angle and
shape of the inner wall 123b (along or defined by the lower section
117B.) For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the inner wall 123b along
the lower section 117B may be planar and perpendicular relative to
the vertically oriented center upright axis 102, e.g., entirely
horizontal, while the inner wall 123a along the upper section 117A
remains similar as in the earlier embodiments, such as FIG. 9, that
is not planar and sloped upward (in relation to the horizontal
plane.) Further, the corner 125b of the lower section 117B may be
sharper in comparison to the corner 125a of the upper section 117A,
as shown. In this embodiment, the lack of slope to the inner wall
123b and the sharply angled corner 125b (of the lower section 117B)
may assist the horn 113 in directing sound away from a possibly
reflective surface upon which the loudspeaker array 105 may be
situated (e.g., a table or a floor). The upward slope of the inner
wall 123a and curved corner 125a of the upper section 117A may
direct sound produced by the transducers 109 towards the listener
107. In other embodiments, the upper and lower sections 117A and
117B of the horn 113 (cabinet 111) may be formed in different
fashions to provide desired vertical control of sound output.
Although described above in relation to a single ring of identical
transducers 109, the loudspeaker array 105 may include additional
transducers arranged along and within the cabinet 111. For example,
FIG. 11 shows a loudspeaker array 105 with a first set of
transducers 109A used for producing, or designed to be driven by, a
first set of audio frequencies (where the first set of transducers
109A may be a single ring of transducers such as the transducers
109 depicted in FIG. 3B, a second set of transducers 109B used for
producing, or designed to be driven by a second set of frequencies,
and a third set of transducers 109C used for producing, or designed
to be driven by a third set of frequencies. In this example, there
is a group of transducers 109B, 109C that are housed within the
section of the cabinet 111 that is below the horn 113 and defined
by the outer wall 127B, and another group of transducers 109B, 109C
that are housed within the section of the cabinet 111 that is above
the horn 113 and defined by the outer wall 127A. For instance, the
first set of transducers 109A may be used or designed for high
frequency content (e.g., 5 kHz-10 kHz), the second set of
transducers 109B may be used or designed for mid frequency content
(e.g., 1 kHz-5 kHz), and the third set of transducers 109C may be
used or designed for low frequency content (e.g., 100 Hz-1 kHz).
These frequency ranges for driving each of the transducers 109A,
109B, and 109C may be enforced using a set of filters that may be
integrated within the loudspeaker array 105 (not shown). Since the
wavelengths for sound waves produced by the first transducers 109A
are smaller than wavelengths of sound waves produced by the
transducers 109B, the mixing distance D associated with these
transducers 109A (see FIG. 6) should be designed to be smaller than
the mixing distance D associated with the transducers 109B. In
particular, to prevent aliasing effects the mixing distance D for
the transducers 109A should be small enough such that the small
wavelengths produced by high frequency content are not smaller than
the distance D. However, since the transducers 109B produce lower
frequency content (i.e., mid frequency content) with larger
wavelengths, the distance D for transducers 109B may be made
larger, e.g. the transducers 109B do not need to be as tightly
packed as the transducers 109A. Similarly, the transducers 109C may
be arranged to have a larger mixing distance D than both the
transducers 109A and the transducers 109B. Since the mixing
distances D for the transducers 109B and the transducers 109C may
be made larger without the occurrence of aliasing effects, a
continuously open circumferential horn 113 that enables a reduction
in the distance D may not be necessary for these transducers 109B
and 109C. In these embodiments, a traditional horn 401, such as
those shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, may be added to one or more of
the transducers 109B, 109C, if gain efficiency improvements or
directional control for these rings of transducers 109B and 109C
are desired.
Although the open circumferential horn 113 is described above as a
"completely open" circumferential horn 113, in some embodiments a
divider 129 may be added or placed between an adjacent pair of
transducers 109 as shown in FIG. 12. A divider 129 may be a flat,
rigid piece or segment that extends outward from the throat 115
between an adjacent pair of transducers 109, generally transverse
to or perpendicular to the inner walls 123a, 123b, along a of the
horn 113 (in the case where the horn 113 defines a circular mouth
119.) Although not shown in the drawings, the divider 129 may be
joined to both of the inner walls 123a, 123b and may widen in the
vertical direction (as it extends outward and along the inner walls
123a, 123b.) An adjacent pair of the dividers 129 may be viewed as
partitioning=a portion of the mouth 119 of the horn 113 for each
transducer 109. The length dimension of the divider 129, e.g.,
measured along the radius (r) taken from the center of a circular
mouth 119 which may be concentric with a circular throat 115 as
shown in FIG. 12, may be selected to trade off between the
frequency where aliasing begins and the amount of directivity
control that may be achieved at lower frequencies for a given
amplifier power and transducer 109 excursion. For example, a set of
the dividers 129 as shown in FIG. 12, for all of the transducers
109, may each be between 25 millimeters and 60 millimeters long
between its inner end point at the throat 115 and its outer end
point. In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 12, in other
embodiments the dividers 129 extend the entire distance from the
mouth 119 to the throat 115 (of the otherwise continuously open
circumferential horn 113.) The dividers 129 may be sized (as in
FIG. 12) to extend to only a fraction of the distance from the
mouth 119 to the throat 115.
Additionally, the dividers 129 may provide an effective "short
horn" for the sound emerging from the transducers 109 prior to
being mixed within the shared space of the circumferential horn 113
(that is within the boundary of mouth 119 depicted in FIG. 12).
Providing a short horn section before mixing can have the effect of
smoothing out particle velocity across the exits of the short horns
formed by the dividers 129 such that aliasing effects are reduced.
For example, a set of small transducers 109, wherein each adjacent
pair is spaced a distance d apart from each other (e.g., a straight
line that joint a center of the diaphragm of one to the center of
the diaphragm of another, and noting that this may not be the
mixing distance D referred to above), may have worse aliasing
effects than a set of larger transducers 109 (wherein each adjacent
pair is also spaced the same distance d apart), due to the
additional empty spaces between the smaller transducers 109. FIG.
13 shows two example velocity profiles A and B that may be produced
by rings of small and large transducers. In both situations,
aliasing occurs at the same frequency, but profile A (of the ring
of smaller transducers) has worse aliasing effects than profile B.
The short horns created by the dividers 129 have the effect of
making the velocity profile of a set of small transducers 109 as
illustrated by profile A look more like profile B such that
aliasing effects are reduced.
While certain embodiments have been described and shown in the
accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments
are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad
invention, and that the invention is not limited to the specific
constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various
other modifications may occur to those of ordinary skill in the
art. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead
of limiting.
* * * * *